They came back down to the young town, and told the folks that they could see a train coming up the south side of the river. This of course w'as what was hoped would some day occur and for long years it was Gering's fondest wish. Eventually the dream came true.

In the same month Ed Gering came to the new town and pre-empted a half mile south. He said he was near enough to the business part of town. Also that he did not want his children playing around the cars.

In common with new communities, among

in the Mitchell gap, and had the shoes still attached. On one of these some wag had inscribed the following: "Died with his boots on --1849-- Scott's Bluffs."

Whether this inscription was written then or later no one now knows. There were the bones of many mules and horses found along the trail near here. Several were killed and the wagons burned, as is recorded elsewhere in this work while transporting army provisions to Salt Lake City. This is in the narrative of Al Wiker.

The First of Many Things The first bank in the present limits of Scottsbluff county was the Bank of Gering establish-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

ed by Martin Gering and others. This bank is now the Gering National and its destinies are presided over by Al Mathers.

The first record of a birth was a son to Mr. and Mrs. A. Porter Pritchard, born June 6, 1887. A girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Lamont shortly afterwards. It may be that there were earlier births, but they escaped the attention of the chronicler of the time.